A Google employee secretly launched a marketing agency while still working for the company. The impetus came after repairing a client’s iPad during lunch, and then discussing the client’s poor website ranking.
The employee offered to help, knowing Google’s security cameras were recording the conversation. After researching the issue, the employee quoted the client \$5,000 for three months of service.
The client immediately agreed to the terms. This marked the beginning of a venture undertaken against the rules of the employee’s primary job.
The Spark of an Idea
While employed at Google, an opportunity arose that planted the seed for a marketing agency. The individual providing the impetus was someone dropping off an iPad for repair.
This person mentioned their financial firm’s website was struggling to rank on Google. The Google employee, still fixing devices at the time, saw a potential opportunity. This moment made him think that maybe he should start his agency.
They spoke briefly, then moved outside to avoid company security. The person dropping off the Ipad asked how much something like that would cost.
The Google employee had no clue, but told him he would get back to him. This led to researching the problem and formulating a solution.
From Repair to Ranking: A Side Hustle Begins
The encounter with the financial firm representative occurred while the Google employee was still fixing devices. This was a pivotal moment that pushed the employee to seriously consider starting a marketing agency.
After the initial conversation and moving away from the Google building, the employee went home and researched the ranking issue. This research was to determine the scope of the problem and potential solutions.
He determined that it would take approximately three months to improve the website’s ranking. He also calculated a price of five thousand dollars for the services.
Upon presenting this proposal, the client immediately agreed. This quick acceptance validated the idea and demonstrated the potential for a successful side hustle.
The First Client: A Leap of Faith
The conversation about the website’s ranking issues led to a discussion about potential solutions. After leaving the Google building, the person dropping off the iPad asked how much search engine optimization (SEO) would cost.
The Google employee, without prior experience in pricing such services, promised to provide a quote. This required him to conduct market research and assess the time and effort involved.
The employee determined a three-month timeframe and a $5,000 price tag. The client’s immediate agreement (“done”) was surprising.
The quick acceptance of the proposal served as validation for the employee. This indicated that there was a real market need for SEO services and he potentially could make a profit from it.